The Ultimate French Review and Practice : Mastering French Grammar for Confident Communication

451 Pages·1999·33.92 MB·English

by  David Stillman

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French
Review and
Practice
^ Cleargrammar
explanations
s Model example
sentences
s
Extensive contextual
exercises
^ Vocabulary and verb
charts
^
Authentic language
materials
# Culture notes
Complete answer key
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Mastering French Grammar
FOR Confident Communication
T(e l/lltiAyiaie
French
Review and
Practice

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lAliuWiOÏl
French
Review and
Practice
Mastering French Grammar
FOR Confident Communication
David M. Stillman, Ph.D.
Ronni L. Gordon, Ph.D.
PASSPORT BOOKS
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TheMcGrawHillCompanies
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Stillman,DavidM.
TheultimateFrenchreviewandpractice:masteringFrenchgrammarforconfident
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p. cm. — (Theultimategrammarreviewandpractice)
Includesindex.
ISBN0-658-00074-8
1. Frenchlanguagetextbooksforforeignspeakers—English.
2. Frenchlanguage—Grammar. I. Series.
PC129.E5U57 1999
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(RATP,Paris,France);pages60-61:"Parismoded'emploi"(MairiedeParis,Paris,France);
page72:"Fugain,BigStory"{FranceSoir,mardi4avril1995);page86:"Pointsforts"
(LeFigaro, mercredi1ermars1995);page99:"NouvelAnàNewYorkenConcorde"
(TMR,Marseille,France);page185:"Nokia"(AgencesFranceTélécom);page203:
"Atemps,toutletemps"(UPS);page230:"Résidencedel'HôteldeVille"(Guénier&
Communication,MarignanImmobilier,Clichy,France);page242:"Sivousn'allezpas
souvent..."(BanqueDirecte,Paris,France);page318:"Itineris"(FranceTelecomMobiles);
page329:"L'Écoleestassezfière..."(EBS,Paris,France).
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PREFACE
The Ultimate French Review andPractice is designed to provide intermediate
through advanced learners of French with a powerful tool for review and progress
in the language. This book presents clear, concise, and well-organized grammar
explanations with examples that reflect everyday usage, most often in the form
ofconversational exchanges. These presentations of structure are easy to
understand, and the examples will encourage you to see the study ofgrammar
as a stepping stone to communication.
The exercises provide extensive practice with all the grammar topics that learners
of French at this level should know. Most of these engaging exercises are
contextualized, and the instructions in French help set the scene and prepare you
for the task at hand. Vocabulary boxes provide a review of the vocabulary common
to most first- and second-year French textbooks, as well as additional vocabulary
that enhances your ability to express yourselfon a variety of topics. Vocabulary
presentations are grouped by topic and are integrated with the exercises.
Many self-expression exercises are also included to encourage you to use the
grammar and vocabulary presented to express your own ideas. Generous verb
charts and an index to help locate grammar topics complete the book.
Most chapters have an Exercice oral, which gives an additional opportunity for
communicative expression, whether with a French-speaking friend or a fellow
learner of French. This oral exercise is often followed by a section called La
grammaire en action, a comprehension exercise based on the reading ofauthentic
documents, reproduced in the book, that contain examples of the grammar topic
of the chapter. You will greatly increase your oral and written mastery of structure
and vocabulary as you work through these delightful and informative authentic
materials taken from a variety of French-language newspapers, periodicals, and
advertisements.
Chapter 28, "Important Idioms and Proverbs," is an especially useful compendium
of frequently used language, and the Notes culturelles found in every chapter
enhance the grammar exercises by situating practice in authentic French contexts.
These fascinating materials will further motivate you to work toward mastery
of French.
The Ultimate French Review and Practice bridges grammar practice and
communication by emphasizing culture and authentic language use along with
structural exercises. It is a uniquely comprehensive, integrated, and engaging
review book that will provide you with the solid knowledge needed to increase
your confidence in using French to express your own thoughts, to comprehend
those of French speakers, and to communicate in both speaking and writing
in a wide variety ofsituations.

corajiTS
—
Part One: Verbs Basil Forms and Ises
Present tense
A. The present tense of regular -er, -ir, and -re verbs 3
B. Spelling changes in the present tense of regular -erverbs 6
C. First conjugation i-er) verbs with mute e as the sten\ vowel 8
D. First conjugation {-er) verbs with é as the stem vowel 9
E. Uses of the present tense 10
Present tense of irregular verbs 13
A. Common irregular verbs 13
B. Expressions with avoir, être, faire, and prendre 16
C. Irregular verbs resembling regular verbs 21
D. Other irregular verbs 24
E. Verbal constructions 25
Negative sentences 29
A. Basic negative structures 29
B. Other negative structures 32
C. Ne que 34
. . .
Interrogative sentences 37
Imperative 45
Vll
viii The Ultimate French Review and Practice
Passé composé 51
A. Passé composé with avoir 51
B. Passé composé with être 54
C. Special situations 57
D. Agreement ofthe past participle 58
Imperfect; imperfect versus passé composé 63
A. The imperfect tense 63
B. Uses of the imperfect tense: the imperfect contrasted with the passé
composé 66
C. Other uses of the imperfect tense 69
D. Special meanings of certain verbs 70
8, Reflexive verbs 75
A. Conjugation and use of reflexive verbs 75
B. The infinitive of reflexive verbs 77
C. The passé composé of reflexive verbs 79
D. Reciprocal reflexive verbs 82
E. The imperative of reflexive verbs 83
F. Other reflexive constructions and reflexive verbs 84
9^ Future and conditional; conditional sentences (1) 89
A. The future tense 89
B. Use of the future after quand and other conjunctions 92
C. The conditional 93
D. Conditional sentences (1) 95
10. Pluperfect, future perfect, and past conditional;
conditional sentences (2) 101
A. The pluperfect {leplus-que-parfait) 101
B. The future perfect Hefutur antérieur) 104
C. The conditional perfect He conditionnelpassé) 106
D. Conditional sentences (2) 108
11, Passé simple 111
A. Formation and use ofthe passé simple 111
B. The passé simple ofirregularverbs 112
Contents ix
I|2. Present participles; uses of the infinitive 115
A. The present participle 115
B. Uses of infinitives 117
C. Verb -t- à -h infinitive 119
D. Verb ^ de ^ infinitive 121
E. Verb ^ direct object ^ de + infinitive 123
F. Adjective or noun - preposition + infinitive 125
G. Faire + infinitive 126
Part Tp: \oun!i and Their Modiliers: Pronouns
13, Nouns: gender, number, and articles;
uses of articles 131
A. Gender and number of nouns; definite and indefinite articles 131
B. Plural nouns 132
C. Determining the gender of nouns 134
D. Determining the gender of nouns (confinued) 136
E. C'est versus Welle est 137
F. The partifive 138
G. Expressions of quantity 140
H. Uses of articles 141
Stressed pronouns; subject-verb agreement 145
—
A. Stressed pronouns forms and usage 145
B. Subject-verb agreement with stressed pronoui\s and other special
cases 149
Possessive and demonstrative adjectives and pronouns 153
A. Possession and possessive adjectives 153
B. Possessive pronouns 156
C. Demonstrative adjectives 158
D. Demonstrative pronouns 160
Çl^ Interrogative adjectives and pronouns 163
A. Interrogative adjectives 163
B. Interrogative pronouns 165